Best iPhone 6s/6s Plus cases (2016 edition)

Ourselves, we're not the biggest fans of slapping a piece of hard plastic on top of our smartphones, concealing their beauty, but we also recognize the need for practicality when approaching this issue. No matter how careful you are, the odds are against you, and each new day is a potential disaster waiting to happen. From superficial nicks and scuffs, through more serious dents, all the way down to completely totaled, there are a number of good reasons to just bite the bullet and concede your phone's naked glory.

Of course, if you shelled out as much as you did for an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, you shouldn't just grab the cheapest case out there, and instead invest at least $20-$30 to get something really good. We scoured the web for just those kinds of cases, but we didn't limit our search down to just affordable options.

Here's what we loved:

Price range: $24-$189

Buy: iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus

Based out of Elkhart, Indiana, Carved is one of those cute little companies that you can't help but somehow relate with. And it's not just because they have a dog on their team, but far more importantly—they create killer products.

Made out of all kinds of wood, Carved cases range from rare down to completely unique. A limited edition 1 out of 1 kind of unique. That's because, at the higher end, its Live Edge line features cases made from the knot, burl, or a rough piece of wood. These are chosen specifically for their striking patterns, and then strengthened and treated in all kinds of makes-sense-when-it's-wood manners. Each and every one of these is unique, meaning you can't just jump on Carved's website right now and buy five identical of those. In fact, sometimes you can't even buy one—you need to wait for a new, unique case to be created.

Carved's product line extends beyond Live Edge cases, of course, including more mainstream solutions, alongside some other truly unique products. A great example is the Old Ironsides collection, with a range of cases crafted from excavated, 18th century oak timber used in the Charlestown Navy Yard. 

Price range: $24.99-$79.99

Buy: iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus

Wood is pretty darn cool on a smartphone, but how about marble? And better yet, how about green, actual marble? If this sounds as good in your head as it does in ours, then Native Union has got you covered with the CLIC Marble Green for the iPhone 6s and the CLIC Marble (white or black) for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

Not only are these cool in terms of the materials used, but they're also incredibly unique, with the green marble line being limited to 999 units, while the white marble collection varies in terms of the veining. In other words, you're always getting something that no one has, for a price of course: $79.99.

Native Union has other, cheaper, but more utilitarian lines available. The CLIC 360 is a good example: drop-proof (MIL-STD-810 certified), but compact, with raised bevel to safeguard your display, and made out of rubber and waxed British Millerain fabric—extremely hard-wearing and even water-resistant. At $39.99, it's also considerably cheaper!

Price: $40 throughout

Buy: iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus

It should come as no surprise that our next entry—iPhone 6s and 6s Plus cases from Casetify—is yet another attempt at motivating you to get something unique. After all, as the most popular smartphones on the planet, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (along with their twins from 2014) are everywhere. You want yours to stand out.

Casetify excels at just this. Not only can you order a case with a custom image, but the ones readily available on the company's website are also interchangeable, and so you can pick another one for $15 on top of the $40 for the original case itself. Not only are the printed images different, but the cases themselves also vary in their exact shape, with three options (all priced identically) being available depending on your taste.

But that's not all, for Casetify cases are also drop-proof from all angles from up to 4 feet, the front is raised to protect the display, the button caps are well thought-out and clicky, all the while the case adds just 0.1 in (2.6 mm) of depth to your iPhone.

Price: $19.99

Buy: iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus

What we refer to as the 'condom case' internally is really the work of cases veteran Spigen, and it has its own name: AirSkin. And Spigen is aiming it at people just like us: who hate the usual bulk associated with a case, and the fact that the otherwise beautiful iPhone remains hidden behind.

Thankfully, the AirSkin is neither bulky, nor does it mess up the looks of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. At just 0.299 in (7.6 mm), it adds an invisible 0.019 in (0.5 mm) to the phone, making it easy to forget about its existence. And while Spigen's AirSkin is unlikely to save your iPhone from any of the harsher drops, it does feature a raised bezel towards the camera lens, and the phone still is protected from scuffs and dents from everyday items.

Best of all, if you're unwilling to dish out a ton of money for a smartphone case, at $19.99, the AirSkin is a great bargain if the above applies to you.

Price: €45.00 (~$50)

Buy: iPhone 6s | iPhone 6s Plus